Denture plate cleaning cup



p 1954 e. A. CHADBOURNE 3,149,358

DENTURE PLATE CLEANING CUP Y Filed May 22, 1963 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent 3,149,358 DENTURE PLATE CLEANING CUP Glenn A. Chadbourne, P.0. Box 472, Livingston, Mont. Filed May 22, 1963, Ser. No. 282,430 4 Claims. (Cl. -21) The present invention relates to a cup for cleaning denture plates.

An object of the present invention is to provide an appliance for the home which may be employed for cleaning denture plates, and one having means for adjustably positioning the denture plate so that it may be efiectively and efficiently cleaned by a revolving brush within the container.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a home appliance which may be mounted on a table or wall surface, one which lends itself to ready fabrication in metal or plastic, one which is economical to manufacture in quantity, and one which has long life characteristics.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a cleaner for a denture plate which has means for admission thereto of flushing water with an outlet provided for the spent water, and one which is highly effective in action.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the annexed drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of the apparatus according to the present invention, portions being broken away to show the interior of the container,

FIGURE 2 is a view taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 3 is a view taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 1 with a portion of the base broken away.

Referring in detail to the drawing in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the device of the present invention comprises a base 10 having feet 12 thereon for support upon a surface such as a table or the like as represented by dotted lines in FIGURE 1 as at 14.

A container 16 rises from the base 10 and is formed integrally therewith, the container 16 having its lower end portion formed to a semispherical shape and provided on the inner wall thereof with a continuous groove as at 18.

A cover 20 extends over the open top of the container 16 and a motor 22 is mounted on the cover 20 by means of bolts 24.

A shaft 26 of the motor 22 projects below the cover 20 and is provided with a fiat portion 28. A brush 3% including a hub 32 is disposed with the bristles 34 facing downwardly and the hub 32 is received on the shaft 26 with a set screw engaging the fiat portion 28 as at 36 in FIGURE 1.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a denture plate holder 38 having opposed projections on each side, as at 40, received in the groove 18. The projections 40 on the groove 18 serve to mount the plate holder 38 against rotation within the container 16 but permit it to rock about its center as a horizontal axis.

This permits the adjustment of the holder 34 to hold a denture, as suggested in FIGURE 3 at 42 so that the bristles of the brush may enter and completely clean the denture on first one side and then on the other after the denture has been manually turned over.

A denture is shown in FIGURE 3 and is represented by the numeral 42.

Another important feature of the invention resides in 3,149,358 Patented Sept. 22, 1964 ice ' the provision of a nipple 44 on the upper end portion of the container 16 inwardly of and spaced from the open top thereof. The nipple 44 is adapted for connection to a source of flushing water, the container wall being pro vided with a continuous conduit, as at 46 in dotted lines in FIGURE 1, the conduit 46 having openings 48 into the interior of the container 16.

The bottom of the container 16 is provided with an outlet 50 and another nipple 52 is connected in communication with the outlet 50 with a valve element 54 operable to close the connection between the outlet 50 and the nipple 52.

While only a preferred form of the invention is shown and described, other forms of the invention are contemplated and numerous changes and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit thereof as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a denture plate cleaning apparatus including a base adapted to rest upon a supporting surface, an open top container rising from said base, there being an inlet for water in the wall of said container inwardly of and spaced from the top thereof, there being an outlet in the lower end of said container, a cover extending over the open top of said container, a motor mounted on said cover, said motor having the shaft thereof projecting below said cover, and a brush mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith, a denture plate holder mounted in said container for tilting movement about a horizontal axis, said holder being spaced below said brush and being adapted to support a denture plate for cleaning by said brush when said shaft is rotated.

2. In a denture plate cleaning apparatus including a base adapted to rest upon a supporting surface, an open top container rising from said base, there being an inlet for water in the wall of said container inwardly of and spaced from the top thereof, there being an outlet in the lower end of said container, a cover extending over the open top of said container, a motor mounted on said cover,

said motor having the shaft thereof projecting below said cover, and a brush mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith, there being a groove in the inner wall of said container passing along a path that is formed by a plane passing through its vertical axis, a denture plate holder having a projection extending therefrom mounted in said groove for providing tilting movement about a horizontal axis, said holder being spaced below said brush and being adapted to support a denture plate for cleaning by said brush when said shaft is rotated.

3. In a denture plate cleaning apparatus including a base adapted to rest upon a supporting surface, an open top container rising from said base, there being an inlet for water in the wall of said container inwardly of and spaced from the top thereof, there being an outlet in the lower end of said container, a cover extending over the open top of said container, a motor mounted on said cover, said motor having the shaft thereof projecting below said cover, and a brush mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith, the lower end portion of said container being semi-spherical in shape, a continuous groove positioned along a great circle of said semi-sphere in the lower end portion of said container, and a denture plate holder having opposed projections each mounted in said groove for providing tilting movement thereof about a horizontal axis, said holder being spaced below said brush and being adapted to support a denture plate for cleaning by said brush when said shaft is rotated.

4. In a denture plate cleaning apparatus including a base adapted to rest upon a supporting surface, an open top container rising from said base, a cover extending over the open top of said container, a motor mounted on said cover, said motor having the shaft thereof projecting below said cover, and a brush mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith, a denture plate holder mounted in said container for tilting movement about a horizontal axis, said holder being spaced below said brush and being adapted to support a denture plate for cleaning by said brush when said shaft is rotated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hall Sept. 4, 1928 Blakernore June 24, 1930 Binkley Mar. 25, 1941 Abbott Oct. 30, 1951 

1. IN A DENTURE PLATE CLEANING APPARATUS INCLUDING A BASE ADAPTED TO REST UPON A SUPPORTING SURFACE, AN OPEN TOP CONTAINER RISING FROM SAID BASE, THERE BEING AN INLET FOR WATER IN THE WALL OF SAID CONTAINER INWARDLY OF AND SPACED FROM THE TOP THEREOF, THERE BEING AN OUTLET IN THE LOWER END OF SAID CONTAINER, A COVER EXTENDING OVER THE OPEN TOP OF SAID CONTAINER, A MOTOR MOUNTED ON SAID COVER, SAID MOTOR HAVING THE SHAFT THEREOF PROJECTING BELOW SAID COVER, AND A BRUSH MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT FOR ROTATION THEREWITH, A DENTURE PLATE HOLDER MOUNTED IN SAID CONTAINER FOR TILTING MOVEMENT ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS, SAID HOLDER BEING SPACED BELOW SAID BRUSH AND BEING ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A DENTURE PLATE FOR CLEANING BY SAID BRUSH WHEN SAID SHAFT IS ROTATED. 